We read in Genesis 21:22, At that time Abimelech went with Phicol, the commander of his army, and said to Abraham, "God is with you in everything you do. (GNB)
Here we find that Abimelech a king from a foreign nation came to meet with Abraham. In general when a king wants to meet someone, he will summon them to his palace, and a king will never go seeking audience with someone.
What did King Abimelech see in Abraham that he went seeking after him?
If we can understand why this was so, our days of seeking will be done with, and others will come seeking after us. Those in authority will come looking to us. Whenever we want to accomplish something think about the number of people we have to run to in order to get the job done.
In Abraham’s case a king from another nation came to Abraham and spoke to him. As I meditated on this I got some insights as to why this happened. Abimelech noted that Abraham had everything in abundance. This astonished king Abimelech. Abraham seemed like a nomad, but his life was overflowing with bounty, though he had no land to call his own. It was obvious that Abraham was not an ordinary person like anyone else. Abraham dug wells and immediately they were filled with water. His herds of cattle increased tremendously. When there was a problem in his family, Abraham did not fight for his rights, but gave up what was his willingly. Abraham fought with kings and overpowered them. Though he was hundred years old God was able to have a son at that age.
All of this must have confused king Abimelech who could not comprehend the life of Abraham. King Abimelech must have seen many people, but it seemed that he had seen none like Abraham. No wonder Abimelech came seeking after Abraham even though he was a king. This was why Abimelech gave this testimony about Abraham, "God is with you in everything you do.”
When people look at us they too must be perplexed at all that God is doing in our lives. The testimony that Abraham received is the one that each one of us should receive too that God is with us in everything we do.
Abimelech makes a treaty with Abraham
We also read in Genesis 21:23, “So make a promise to me here before God. Promise that you will be fair with me and with my children. Promise that you will be kind to me and this country where you have lived. Promise that you will be as kind to me as I have been to you." (ERV)
King Abimelech who was a king of the foreign nation understood that he should be at peace with a man like Abraham since he not only thought of himself, but also about the generations to come. I tend to think that Abimelech must have spent a lot of time thinking about Abraham while Abraham thought only about God. Abimelech knew that God was with Abraham, and that God blessed Abraham.
What made Abraham so special?
There is another English translation that reads this way, "No matter what you do, God is on your side.” This was the reason why Abimelech came to make peace with Abraham.
We read in Genesis 12:7, The LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "This is the country that I am going to give to your descendants." Then Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. (GNB)
Also we read in Genesis 12:6, Abram traveled through the land until he came to the sacred tree of Moreh, the holy place at Shechem. (At that time the Canaanites were still living in the land.) (GNB)
As Abraham travelled though the land and came to the holy place at Shechem, the Lord promised Abraham that he would give him the land to be his own. Notice how Abraham did not ask God for the land, but the Lord promised Abraham that he would give him the land.
When God gives no man can stop it, and when God gives no man can question it. There is something strange that happening on social media. While there is a war in the middle-east, there are lots of people who are freely sharing their opinions on this. As some support one group there are those who support the other group, and there is much debate about who is right, and who is wrong. The problem is many of them don’t know history or politics, and yet freely share their opinions because it is in their power to do so.
Let me share an example to help us understand this point. Two people are neighbors, and one of them out of spite decides to dump all of his garbage in his neighbor’s garden. The other person wakes up early in the morning to find the garbage in his yard, and in anger and retaliation decides to dump it back into the neighbor’s yard. If the one who initiated the trouble took a video of his neighbor throwing back the trash into his yard and circulated it, you can imagine what kind of wrong message will be circulated. These are days when we should be cautious about all the news that is shared with us. Everything we see and hear should not be taken as is.
There are lots of things that we are watching, children being killed, houses being burnt down, and all of these atrocities grieve our hearts. Whenever people are killed we are saddened and so is the heart of God. Setting all of this aside we should try to understand what the word of God is telling us.
We read in Psalm 122:6, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May those who love you prosper.” (GW)
Note this verse in the bible and pray accordingly. The word of God reminds us that those who love Jerusalem will prosper. In praying this prayer we are assured that God will prosper us as well. There is no one other than God who understands this better so let us just stick to the word of God. We should not be led by all we hear and see on social media or the news on the media, but go by what God has instructed us in His word.
1. The altar of thanksgiving
We read in Genesis 12:7, The LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "This is the country that I am going to give to your descendants." Then Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. (GNB)
As soon as the Lord promised Abraham that he would give him the place, Abraham built an altar of thanksgiving to the Lord. It was not that anything had materialized or that Abraham had already received the place, but as soon as Abraham heard the word of promise from the Lord, he built an altar unto the Lord.
The reason that the Lord was with Abraham all the days of his life so that no one could stand against him, and there was an overflowing abundance in his life is because Abraham believed God and trusted His word without a doubt.
We read in Romans 4:20-21, He never doubted that God would do what he promised. He never stopped believing. In fact, he grew stronger in his faith and just praised God. Abraham felt sure that God was able to do what he promised. (ERV)
Abraham believed that God was able to do exactly as He had promised, and he never doubted and never stopped believing.
As soon as we receive God’s word we must take it as the word given to us. We must take the promises that God gives to us and believe them implicitly without a doubt and accept it with thanksgiving. Every time we come to church we must pray and ask God to give us His word. As we receive the word that God has for us it will transform our lives, change our situations, and also help us to overcome our weaknesses. May we too have hearts filled with thanksgiving to the Lord at all times as we hold on to His promises.
2. The altar of prayer
We read in Genesis 12:8, Then he left that place and traveled to the mountains east of Bethel. He set up his tent there. Bethel was to the west, and Ai was to the east. Abram built another altar at that place to honor the LORD, and he worshiped the LORD there. (ERV)
There was nothing spectacular that was happening in Abraham’s life. Everything was going on as usual, and at that point Abraham built an altar to the Lord. This I call the altar of prayer.
Even when everything in our lives are going on normally, we should built this altar of prayer. Often there are those who say that if God did what they desired only then they would pray to God. These are like those who say that they will go to the doctor only if their stomach pain was cured. The fact is that when there is any problem the first thing we should do is to run to the Lord and let Him set it right. Sadly, there are those who are facing some problems, and instead of coming to the Lord or being part of the church, they isolate themselves and want their problems to be solved before they come to God. Let’s remember that we cannot bargain with God this way. Only when we obey will we receive our miracle.
However, if we read Genesis 12:9-20 there is something that is happening in Abraham’s life. There is a famine in the land and Abraham forgot about the altar of prayer and he moved into the land of Egypt. He thought there will be food in Egypt and he will escape the famine but Abraham did not realize that there was a great peril awaiting him.
When there is problem we usually get perplexed. Always remember that it’s only when we are in the place where God wants us to be we will remain safe and secure. That is the place where we will be fed and receive all the nourishment that is needed for us.
Remember the Prophet Elijah who stood before King Ahab. The Lord told him to move out from there and go the banks of the brook Cherith, where the Lord commanded ravens to feed Elijah.
There are many who when they have a problem in one place, will never stand to settle the issue at hand, but will want to move away from that place. Wherever the Lord has placed you that is where you should be for there you will experience God’s protection, provision, His leading and even if you were alone the Lord will help you. If you go to any place where the Lord does not want you to go to, even if it to a church, if the Lord does not approve, you will not receive the needed nourishment.
We read in Genesis 13:4, This was where Abram had built an altar earlier. So he worshiped the LORD there. (ERV)
Abraham returned back to the same place to build the altar of prayer.
There are many who in years gone by used to pray much, fast regularly, and share the gospel with everyone. Sadly, they have stopped doing this, and only talk about what they did in the past. The consequence is that they are faced with many perils and hardships. God is calling us back to our altar of prayer. Our prayer life should be our steering wheel, not our spare wheel. We don’t turn to God only when we are in trouble, but have Him at the center of our life. Our prayer life must be the steering wheel which means that we look to God every time no matter which way we turn. Sometimes we must also have to learn to come on the reverse.
3. The altar of peace
Genesis 13:18, So Abram moved his tents. He went to live near the big trees of Mamre. This was near the city of Hebron. There he built an altar to honor the LORD. (ERV)
The conflict
Before Abraham built this altar there was an incident that happened.
We read in Genesis 13:7, So quarrels broke out between the men who took care of Abram's animals and those who took care of Lot's animals. (At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were still living in the land.) (ERV)
Abraham and Lot were from the same family. However, there was an argument that arose between the herdsmen of Lot, and the herdsmen of Abraham.
There will surely be differences of opinion and conflict in the family. We may not be aware of the problems in our families, but there are unbelievers around us who are watching and listening to our conversations.
When these issues arose between Abraham and Lot, I guess Abraham must have lost his peace.
We read in Genesis 13:8, Then Abram said to Lot, "We are relatives, and your men and my men shouldn't be quarreling. (GNB)
We are all brothers and sisters and therefore there should be no room for quarrelling amongst us.
The solution
This was the way in which Abraham decided to settle the issue at hand. We read in Genesis 13:9, “So let's separate. Choose any part of the land you want. You go one way, and I'll go the other." (GNB)
Abraham found a solution to the problem at hand by letting Lot choose to go whichever way he wanted. Note that Abraham and Lot commenced together on this journey, they worshipped the same God, and both the families knew God. However, when there was a conflict Abraham gave Lot the freedom to choose first and to go the way that he thought was good for him. Abraham told Lot that if he went to the right, he would go to the left and that if Lot chose to go to the left then Abraham would go to the right.
It is important that at some times we will have to release, and let go of some people. Sometimes, we have to tell some people to go their own way, and we have to decide to go in the opposite direction. This however, does not apply to married couples as God’s word is very clear that what God has joined together man should not separate. It is possible that those who started their journey of faith with us may sometime have differences. If we find that someone continues to argue and quarrel, and does not look for an amicable resolution the only answer for such a situation is that we go one way, and the other person goes the other way. Sometimes, if we want to have peace we will have to release some people, and let them go.
The reward
The best part of this incident is found in Genesis 13:14-17, After Lot had left, the LORD said to Abram, "From where you are, look carefully in all directions. I am going to give you and your descendants all the land that you see, and it will be yours forever. I am going to give you so many descendants that no one will be able to count them all; it would be as easy to count all the specks of dust on earth! Now, go and look over the whole land, because I am going to give it all to you." (GNB)
Now if God had a plan that Lot should continue with Abraham, he would have chided him about the same. However, God asked Abraham to look in all directions and promised him that everything he saw and everywhere his feet trod would be his. Notice how all this was done only after Abraham parted from Lot. I wondered why God waited for Lot to depart before He made this glorious promise to Abraham. I guess if all the land was given to Abraham while he was with Lot, Lot may have quarreled with Abraham about the land also.
When God takes some people away from us we should not pursue them. Sometimes only when we walk away from certain friendships the Lord will begin to bless us. This was the altar of peace that Abraham built. Remember the words of Jesus who said, ‘My peace I leave with you.’
4. The altar of love
We read in Genesis 22:9, “When they came to the place which God had told him about, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. He tied up his son and placed him on the altar, on top of the wood.” (GNB)
This was the fourth altar that Abraham built which I call the altar of love. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born, and the one person who was closest to Abraham’s heart was his only son Isaac. I don’t think Abraham would have loved anyone more than Isaac, but when God asked him to sacrifice his son, Abraham did so joyfully and willingly. It was this lifestyle of Abraham that gave him abundant blessing and bountiful increase. Kings sought after with him, kings wanted to be associated with him and kings wanted to be at peace with him.
If you are wondering what this altar symbolizes a place where we say to God, ‘above all that things that you have given to us, more than all the people whom you have given to us, more than all the blessings or anything else in this world, you are my greatest treasure.’ Who is the Isaac in our lives? Isaac could be a thing, a friend or anything else, but the Lord wants us to lay the thing we love most on the altar.
In conclusion let us read Hebrews 11:17-19, “It was faith that made Abraham offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice when God put Abraham to the test. Abraham was the one to whom God had made the promise, yet he was ready to offer his only son as a sacrifice. God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that you will have the descendants I promised." Abraham reckoned that God was able to raise Isaac from death---and, so to speak, Abraham did receive Isaac back from death.” (GNB)
Anything that is given to God will most certainly be given back to us. Abraham was ready, and willing to lay down his dearly loved son Isaac on the altar, and God gave Isaac back to Abraham.
If we have these four altars in our lives we too will receive all the blessings that Abraham received. It’s up to us if we choose to live a mediocre life or if we want to do in our own strength we can do that too. Nonetheless, may our desire be to have the faith that Abraham had, to be thankful as Abraham was, to be at peace as Abraham sought peace. If we do this kings will come to us, and will seek to be at peace with us and God will do great, and mighty things for us.
May God help us to build the altar of thanksgiving, the altar of prayer, the altar of peace and the altar of love in our lives. If there is any altar that is not right, may God grant us His grace to rebuild that altar, and set everything right in our lives.
Rev. F. Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewsfriends.net
